A long lane at night

2.7. THE GREATEST REWARD Part 2

Jack was trembling, his eyes were brimming with tears, but none of them fell down his face. Instinctively, all the other seven adults in the room had reached out for him and somehow managed to engulf him in this massive hug.

'And I'm sorry, Jack,' I was the first one to break the silence, 'that you feel the need to be protective of your daughter around us. We are trying to make you understand the exact opposite. Don't disregard the people who have been through this before you, now more than ever, because we love you so much and we are only putting ourselves at your service.'

'Jack,' Brian said, 'how much time have you taken off work? There is a leave, isn't there?'

'There is, but the dean gave me as much time as I want,' he answered. 'I finished all the researches I was attached to and arranged with the dean that I wouldn't be taking anything new for the next months. She was ... she was very generous.'

'She was indeed,' Chad said with a smirk. 'I never thought she had any niceness in her.'

'Try bringing in some money and glory and she'll love you, I guess,' Will said. The overall small laughter after his remark allowed all of us to comfortably give Jack room to breathe, but we remained close to him.

'What's your plan, Jack?' Henry asked. 'Once you get home with your daughter, what's your plan? Play it by ear?'

'I already feel like I have no idea what I'm doing anymore,' Jack sounded defeated.

'That means you're truly a parent now, son,' my mother said with a smile.

'I wasn't planning to play it by ear, Uncle Henry,' Jack went on, 'I already found a good paediatrician for her, Doctor Markus, she's already met Alice and oversaw all the medical details of her clearance. She ... she ...'

'She has an office here in the city instead of down in the town,' Nate rescued his lover. Yes, I'm positive they'll do wonders together. 'Jack, I think you've been subconsciously bringing your child closer to where you feel like home.'

'Allan,' my mother turned to me. 'Is lunch ready, my boy?'

'It'll be a little while,' I answered, recognising her intentions, 'but I'm still at a scrapable phase, with everything that has already happened today. What do you have in mind?'

'I think this family needs to stay together,' she said.

'Does that mean you're staying with us forever and you'll drag your grandson along?' Brian asked her, batting his eyes.

'Not forever, my child,' she replied. 'But I feel that Jack will be grateful for a solid support system for the first few months, don't you think?'

'Absolutely,' Brian answered. 'So, let me get this straight. Seven adults and one baby are getting to the town to get this house baby-ready before sunset?'

'Before sunset?' Jack asked, sounding astonished. 'But dad, it's almost one!'

'Jack,' Brian pulled his best 'fake serious' voice, 'allow me, for the second and definitely not last time, to talk to you from father to father. Going entirely against what I have been teaching you your whole life, this is a problem we can and will throw money at. And don't even try arguing, the two of you,' he turned to Will and Chad, who were about to protest indignantly, 'this is a benefit for parents only. Wait your turn.'

'And, please, wait a lot,' I added. The twins deflated.

'Fine,' Chad said, getting closer to the kitchen counter. 'Can we at least have something to eat first? We're hungry!'

'You're hungry?' Brian asked. 'You two are hungry? You really think I didn't see you boys stealing all the Turkish delight from Nate's bag?'

'Munchkin?' Jack sounded shocked and annoyed. There wasn't a lot of love in his voice right now. Apparently, their pet names also worked for when they were angry. That's a good thing, let them save the full-name calling for things that really matter. 'Are you trying to tell me that the contents of that bag were your homemade Turkish delights?'